Caption: Hurricane Hunters. Pilot in the cockpit of a Hercules plane flying through the eye of Hurricane Floyd (September 1999). The US Air Force Hurricane Hunters plane is equipped to measure meteoro- logical parameters, such as wind speed, humidity and atmospheric pressure. Each crew takes a twelve-hour flight gathering data from the storm, twice passing through its eye. These data are then relayed to base, where computer models help predict the storm's future direction. These models have an accuracy of 70%, which allows authorities to implement damage limitation procedures such as evacuations. Hurricane Floyd caused 57 deaths and 1.3 billion US dollars of damage.